1. Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates to a vacuum cleaner. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a cyclone dust-separating apparatus of a vacuum cleaner, that draws in an external air and then separates dust or dirt therefrom.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a cyclone dust-separating apparatus provided in a vacuum cleaner is an apparatus that whirls air laden with dirt or dust and separates the dirt or dust therefrom. Such a cyclone dust-separating apparatus usually is provided with a cyclone unit vertically and elongately installed, a cyclone body with an air inflow part and an air outflow part formed at a side and a top thereof, and a dust bin connected to a bottom part of the cyclone unit, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,350,292. Accordingly, external air is drawn in through the side of the cyclone body and lowered while being swirled therein, and dirt or dust removed from the air is collected in the dust bin. However, the conventional cyclone dust-separating apparatus as described above requires forming the dust bin in a relatively small size because the cyclone unit has a large height. As a result, the conventional cyclone dust-separating apparatus is inconvenient to use, in that the dirt or dust collected in the dust bin should be frequently dumped.
In addition, Korean Patent No. 412,583 discloses a cyclone dust-separating apparatus of an upright cleaner, in which a dust bin is coupled to a bottom end of a cylindrical cyclone unit, the diameter of the dust bin being equal to that of the cylindrical cyclone unit. External air drawn into the cyclone unit through a side of the cyclone unit is whirled while lowering within an internal space of the dust bin as well as within an internal space of the cyclone unit. Accordingly, such a conventional cyclone dust-separating apparatus is disadvantageous in that because the cyclone unit is vertically arranged, the capacity of the dust bin is relatively small. Furthermore, there is a problem in that because the air whirling within the cyclone unit is lowered to the internal space of the dust bin, the dust stored within the dust bin is entrained by the swirling air and flows backward to the cyclone unit.
Also, the cyclone dust-separating apparatuses of U.S. Pat. No. 6,350,292 and Korean Patent No. 412,583 are advantageous in that they can be semi-permanently used without any inconvenience of frequently replacing dust bags as in the conventional general dust-collecting apparatus, but disadvantageous in that since the dust or dirt is collected and stored in the dust bin, a scattering of the dust or dirt and/or a contamination of circumference according thereto are generated when the dust or dirt collected in the dust bin is dumped.